A new car park opened in Broadway this week opposite Broadway Station on Station Road. 85 car parking spaces, including spaces for ‘Blue Badge’ holders, have been created by Wychavon District Council on land provided by the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR). The car park is less than 5 minutes’ walk from the station. The parking area also includes a pleasant grassy area next to the line that can be used for picnics. Later this year electric vehicle charging units will be installed.
The parking charges are from 50p for half an hour up to £5.00 for 10 hours. Those purchasing a £5.00 parking ticket will receive a £3.00 refund from GWSR against the purchase of one train ticket for the same day. Pay and display parking tickets can be purchased with cash or by using the RingGo parking website or app.
GWSR Refund for Car Park Users
A new café, offering a range of light refreshments, will also open at the station when the service resumes in a few days’ time.
For those that prefer to walk rather than drive to the station, it about half a mile from our holiday cottages on foot. The railway resumes services for the 2019 season on Saturday 9th March.
Many of our guests like to visit the city of Bath during their stay. The city with its wide range of excellent shops, restaurants, museums, Georgian architecture and Roman baths is about 70 miles from our holiday cottages and can be reached in less than 2 hours by car.
Our recommendation is to use one of the Park and Ride car parks on the edge of the city rather than drive in to the centre and spend time trying to find a parking space. The buses from the Park and Ride car parks run frequently and are not expensive.
Sally Lunn’s Eating House and Kitchen Museum
If looking for a coffee, cup of tea and something to eat on arrival in Bath, we recommend stopping at Sally Lunn’s, 4 North Parade Passage. Sally Lunn’s opens at 10am and is home to the original Sally Lunn Bunn (the original Bath bun) which is still baked to a secret recipe and served with a wide variety of delicious toppings including cinnamon butter and lemon curd. The historic building is one of the oldest houses in Bath and dates back to 1483. It became the home of the French baker, Sally Lunn, a Hugenot refugee, in the 1600s.
Sally Lunn’s is also open for lunch, afternoon teas and dinner (see www.sallylunns.co.uk) for more information. Reservations are advisable as it does get very busy.
Bath’s Roman Baths and Museum
A few minutes’ walk away from Sally Lunn’s is the Roman Baths Museum and the ruins of a 43AD Roman settlement. The Baths are open from 9am until 5pm (November to February 9.30am and later during Easter weeks and the summer). Entrance costs from £14.40 per adult with a 10% discount if booked online. The Museum runs free tours and free audioguides are available in a number of languages. For more information visit www.romanbaths.co.uk.
It is not possible to bathe in the waters but the nearby Thermae Bath Spa uses the same mineral-enriched water, treated to make it safe to enjoy (see website site for details).
A visit to the baths including a free tour will take approximately 2 hours.
A Walking Tour of the City
There are several options for a walking tour of the city. Our recommendation is to join one of the entertaining tours given by The Mayor of Bath Honorary Guides. The daily tours are free (no tips allowed) and there is no need to book. Tours start outside the Roman Baths (look for the sign ‘Free Walking Tours Start Here’). The walks take place within the city are about 2 miles (3km) in length with a gradual climb of 100 feet (30m) and takes approximately 2 hours. The walks take in the majestic Bath Abbey, Pulteney Street and 18th century Pulteney Bridge, the beautiful Georgian Royal Crescent, Circus Crescent and much more.
Historic Bath Abbey
Bath Abbey, the Abbey Church of St Peter and St Paul, was built in 1499. Visitors may visit the main church area for free. A tour of the tower (tickets available to purchase from the gift shop) takes visitors up 212 steps past the bell chamber (with the Abbey’s 10 bells) to the Abbey’s rooftop with its wonderful panoramic view of the city.
Photo: By Diliff – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Jane Austen Centre
If you are a fan of Jane Austen, Bath’s most famous resident, then the Jane Austen Centre, 40 Gay Street, Queen Square, is worth a visit. The centre, set in a classically decorated Georgian townhouse, offers a snapshot of what it would be like to live in Regency times. Afternoon tea can be enjoyed in the Regency Tea Room. For further information and admissions prices see www.janeausten.co.uk.
Shopping, Eating Out and More
There are plenty of excellent independent shops, tea rooms, coffee shops, and restaurants in Bath to fill up any spare time. Milsom Street, built in 1792, was recently voted ‘Britain’s Best Fashion Street’.
A great spot to enjoy afternoon tea is in the elegant Pump Room Restaurant in the Abbey Churchyard where the Pump Room Trio serenade guests. Walk in tables are available daily but to avoid missing out we would advise that a table is reserved online (www.romanbaths.co.uk or telephone 01225 444477).
“Love is Enough” a Poem for Valentine’s Day by William Morris
William Morris (1834-1896) was a frequent visitor to Broadway during the 1880s. Morris, along with fellow Pre-Raphaelite artists, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones, used Broadway Tower on top of the Cotswold escarpment overlooking the village and our grounds on West End, as a summer retreat.
Morris began publishing poetry and short stories in 1856 and his poem ‘Love is enough’ (published in 1872) is a romantic poem for Valentine’s Day:
Love is enough: though the World be a-waning,
And the woods have no voice but the voice of complaining,
Though the sky be too dark for dim eyes to discover
The gold-cups and daisies fair blooming thereunder,
Though the hills be held shadows, and the sea a dark wonder,
And this day draw a veil over all deeds pass’d over,
Yet their hands shall not tremble, their feet shall not falter;
The void shall not weary, the fear shall not alter
These lips and these eyes of the loved and the lover.
Archaeologists at work, Broadway Archaeological Dig, West End, Broadway
On Monday 18th February 2019, Broadway History Society will be hosting an illustrated talk on the Broadway Archaeological Dig, West End, Broadway. Prior to the work that took place to build a flood defence, archaeologists from Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service excavated, the site, a neighbouring field, along West End, Broadway.
During the dig, the archaeologists found evidence of some of Broadway’s earliest known residents: Mesolithic hunter-gathers who lived on the site along Bunchers Brook around 10,000 years ago and some intriguing Bronze Age finds dating back over 4000 years.
The dig proved to much more important than expected and the main focus of the excavations was a complex Iron Age and Roman settlement with some fantastic rare Saxon and Roman finds and an ancient burial site. Medieval remains were also found that predate the foundation of a planned town at Broadway in the late 12th or early 13th century, which later shrank in size to become the historic centre of the village we know today.
Robin Jackson from Worcestershire’s Archaeology Service will be giving an illustrated talk on the dig and the wonderful finds at the Lifford Hall, Lower Green, Broadway, starting at 7pm (doors open at 6.30pm). The talk is free to members of Broadway History Society, non-member £3.
Booking direct with Broadway Manor Cottages is best. It gives our guests a better experience, the most flexibility and our best price is guaranteed. If you book with us directly, we can communicate with you personally about your cottage and stay rather than through a third party online booking or travel agent. Most importantly there are no hidden fees or extras such as booking commission when you book direct.
Our Book Direct Offer 2019: During February 2019, all bookings for 7 nights or more booked between 1st February and 30th August 2019 (except Easter week and Cheltenham Festival week in March) and made directly with us will receive a 10% discount off the advertised price on our website.
Direct is Best: To obtain the best discounted rate when you contact us to make a new booking in one of our Cotswold holiday cottages in the beautiful village of Broadway in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, please quote #BookDirect (see below).
Please note: This offer only applies to new confirmed bookings made during February 2019 quoting #BookDirect at the time of booking or reservation of your chosen cottage and cannot be added to a booking at a later date. All discounted bookings need to be secured with a deposit by 28th February 2019 for the discount to apply.
We are delighted to announce that our holiday apartment, Rafters (sleeps 2) at The Manor House, has won a a 2018 Guest Review Award from Booking.com for maintaining our high standards for another year.
Rafters (sleeps 2) at The Manor House, Broadway
Rafters (sleeps 2) at The Manor House, Broadway
We are very proud of our 9.6 rating and thank our guests who stayed with us in 2018 and left a review of their stay and we hope that you will return to stay with us again soon. We look forward to welcoming our returning guests and all our new guests to stay with us in 2019.
For more information and photos of Rafters click here. To book Rafters for a short break or longer please contact us either by email or telephone 01386 852913.
Many of our guests come to Broadway to enjoy walks along the miles of footpaths in the area but others enjoy either spectating or participating in other sporting activities during their stay.
The village has a very fine bowling green at the end of Kennel Lane and a flourishing cricket club on the Snowshill Road near St Eadburgha’s Church, where spectators are welcome to watch some entertaining cricket and enjoy a drink whilst taking in one of the most beautiful places to play cricket in the UK.
Broadway Golf Club has a links style 18 hole course uniquely located 850ft above sea level on top of the Cotswold escarpment. Located at Willersey Hill above the village, the course has exceptional views over the Vale of Evesham and provides a challenge for golfers of all abilities and welcomes non-members.
Teams representing Broadway United Football Club play in the Cheltenham League and Ambassador Evesham Football League. The clubhouse on the Milestone Ground is the only venue in the village that offers Sky Sports, showing most live sporting events. The club also has a darts team and runs various social events throughout the year to which all are welcome.
One of the best ways to enjoy the beautiful Cotswolds hills and wolds is on horseback. There are many riding centres in the area which cater for both the experienced rider and beginner. Broadway is home to the North Cotswold Hunt with kennels in the centre of the village along Kennel Lane. The Hunt organises a Point-to-Point, usually held on Easter Monday, at the nearby village of Paxford. The meet provides an excellent day’s entertainment for the whole family with good views of the racecourse, betting facilities, picnic spaces, trade stands, bars, food stalls, hospitality and children’s amusements.
Fishing or angling is one of the most popular pastimes in the Cotswolds especially in the nearby River Avon. The limestone riverbeds provide an ideal environment for traditional fly-fishing for brown trout or the silver-purple grayling and the local lakes are well stocked with chubb, roach, pike and carp.
A holiday in Broadway is a great opportunity to enjoy the surrounding beautiful landscape through walks or by participating in or just watching some of the many sporting activities that take place in the Cotswolds.
For further information about our Cotswold holiday cottages in Broadway visit www.broadwaymanor.co.uk.
Christmas Shopping Evenings: Friday 30th November and
Friday 7th December 2018, 5.30-8.30pm.
This year Broadway is hosting two late night Christmas Shopping Evenings on Friday 30th November and Friday 7th December. Enjoy an evening of Christmas shopping under twinkling Christmas lights in the beautiful Cotswold village of Broadway. A perfect opportunity to start feeling festive and buy some presents for loved ones.
The evenings are popular event in the Cotswolds’ calendar. Festive crowds of Christmas shoppers gather in the village over two consecutive Fridays soaking up the seasonal atmosphere and entertainment. The shops and galleries lining the High Street stay open after 5.30pm until 8.30pm.
Each evening is full of Christmas cheer and festivities with street entertainers, pony sleigh rides, live music and lots of spirited seasonal shoppers. Be sure to look out for Santa and shops offering free mince pies and mulled wine! It’s a great opportunity to enjoy an evening shopping in some lovely independent shops in the Cotswolds. There are plenty of eateries too – from pubs and cafes to award winning restaurants. Something for everyone!
Why not book a cottage for the weekend and stay in a cosy Cotswold cottage in the grounds of a Cotswold Manor House just a few minutes’ walk from the festivities? To book your cottage or to find out more please call 01386 852913 or send us an email.
An increasing number of our guests staying in our Cotswold holiday cottages in Broadway have hybrid cars or fully electric vehicles. At Broadway Manor Cottages we have two electric vehicle (EV) charging points which are available free of charge to our guests staying in our cottages. A small charge may apply to other users wishing to park and charge their car whilst visiting the village (please contact us for further information).
We have a ‘Slow’ EV point, a standard 13 Amp supply (6-8 hours for full charge) and a ‘Fast’ point with a 32 Amp supply (3-4 hours).
Nearly all electric models can be slow charged with a charging cable with the appropriate connectors: a standard three-pin plug or Blue Commando connector (IEC 60309) at the charging point end and either a Commando unit or the more modern gun shaped SAE J1772 socket for connection to the vehicle.
Fast charging reduces charge times to around half that of a slow charge by at least doubling the current to around 32 amps (7 kW). The time for a full charge is typically 3 to 4 hours. Most commercial and many public on-street chargers already use this technology however it is very likely that this charge rate will continue to become the most increasingly used across the UK.
While not all electric vehicles are able to accept a fast charge at 32 amps, most can be connected to them (with the right connector) and will draw either 13 or 32 amps depending on their capability. While Blue Commando plugs (IEC 60309) were the most common connector type used at the charger end, these are steadily being replaced by the more versatile 7-pin Mennekes plug (IEC 62196).
If you would like to bring your electric vehicle whilst staying in our cottages or would like to use one of our charging points when visiting the area please contact us for further information and to reserve your space.
American Actress Mary Anderson takes to the Stage in the Lifford Memorial Hall, Broadway
Fundraiser for the Relief of Belgian Artists
100 years ago today, during the afternoon of Tuesday 27th August 1918, the Lifford Memorial Hall in the Cotswold village of Broadway was full to capacity for an afternoon of music and drama arranged by Mary Anderson de Navarro in aid of the Fund for the Relief of Belgian Artists. The relief fund was established to ensure that individuals and families who remained in Belgium during the First World War would receive money but it also ensured that those who had sought refuge in the United Kingdom would be well looked after.
Performance of Macbeth at the Lifford Memorial Hall
Mary Anderson de Navarro
The event was arranged by the ‘celebrity’ American stage actress and Broadway resident, Mary Anderson de Navarro. During the First World War, Mary Anderson carried out a number of fund-raising performances in London, Stratford-upon-Avon, Worcester and Evesham and this performance of Macbeth in Broadway met with great acclaim.
Fellow American opera singer Murray-Davey (who lived at Willersey House in the nearby village of Willersey) helped organise the event. The first half included performances of Ede Poldini’s La poupée valsante and Ange Flegier’s Le Cor and pieces by Brahms and Bach performed by a string quartet; Messrs. Désiré Defauw, Lionel Tertis, Emile Dochard and Harold Samuel. Instrumentalists included Lady Sykes and Lady Maud Bowes-Lyon (also a resident of Broadway and Aunt of HRH Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother).
Edward H. Southern
The second half included scenes from Macbeth with Mary Anderson as Lady Macbeth and the American Shakespearean actor Edward Hugh Sothern, who specialised in dashing, romantic leading roles, as Macbeth. They were supported by Miss Hare, Shakespearean actor and director Sir Philip Barling ‘Ben’ Greet, Mary’s son Lieut. ‘Toty’ de Navarro and the English actor Sir John Hare.
Broadway’s Artistic Heritage
Broadway was fashionable amongst artists at the time and had been since the late 1880s when the sleepy picturesque Cotswold village had attracted a number of English and American artists, writers, painters, musicians (the ‘Broadway Colony’). John Singer Sargent, Francis Millet, Edwin Austin Abbey, Alfred Parsons and Henry James (to name just a few) gave Broadway its artistic heritage that visitors today continue to enjoy and is celebrated biennially by the Broadway Arts Festival.
Archaeologists at work, Broadway Archaeological Dig, West End, Broadway
